PTDF, UNN Train Geology Lecturers in Oil, Solid Minerals

The Petroleum Technology Development Fund, in collaboration with the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, has trained geology and geosciences lecturers from universities in the South-East zone.

At the three-day training programme in Enugu, the Executive Secretary of PTDF, Ahmed Aminu, said the mandate of the fund was centred on the development of the capacity of Nigerians in the field of geology and geosciences.

He said the training would build up academics that would stand in the gap as experts in the field of oil discovery and solid minerals in the country.

Represented by Dr Neeka Jacob, the PTDF boss noted the UNN did well by bringing in young experts in the geological space to solidify the future of the profession.

He said, “The purpose of this is to ensure continuity because lack of manpower is when there is no sustainability. Sustainability is what we are looking for in organising this workshop.

“You can see young academics coming together, sharing knowledge, and expanding their scope of ensuring that the geology of these basins is well documented. Those who have laid the foundation are here training and retaining the younger generation to have what it takes to build this geology field. That alone is a huge contribution to knowledge from the PTDF and the Chair Professor in Geology from UNN.

“Steps we take after field surveys include exploration, and that’s why you see today that most inland basins are beginning to produce, Nigeria is now going more for oil and gas and it’s the work of geologists sponsored by PTDF. Now we have Anambra producing, Lagos, lower Niger Delta Basin and even at Lake Chad basin; we have seen so many states in the federation producing hydrocarbon now and it’s because we’ve gone beyond exploration to production, and that is what the PTDF stands for, expanding the reserve of this country in a larger measure so that we can all see the reserve proliferation of this country.”

Participants of the three-day event, titled, ‘Knowledge Sharing and Field Training Workshop by PTDF Chair in Petroleum Geology and University of Nigeria Nsukka’, were drawn from Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka; Federal University of Technology, Owerri; Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Agbani; Ebonyi State University Abakaliki; Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike Ikwo; Micheal Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike; and the University of Nigeria Nsukka; among others.